Review by Alex on January 29, 2019.

The devastating reverb coming from Noctambulist's debut Atmospheres of Desolation rarely lets up, it carries through as it clings to the crushing vocals, This debut enters with a brief instrumental then begins the barbaric and technical onslaught on the listener. Yes its technical, but don’t be turned-off by that, it doesn't go beyond the boundary to where the death/black metal aspects are drowned. Consider Atmospheres of Desolation a claustrophobic yet intricate piece of work similar to what the likes of Portal tend to create, but is amplified in volume and overall heaviness. This is the result of co-mingling the ugly side of death metal with the complexity of technical death metal, some black metal and a pinch of melody; a chaotic sound emerges from an orderly assorted collection of styles.

There is no holding back on Atmospheres of Desolation, the title says it all, its fast, ridiculously-heavy and combatant. Just take for example Abnegation, it’s played intensely quick and perplexedly when accounting for both drum and guitar work; the distortion generated gives the music a sound that is just bananas, all the while sheltering audible contortions. From here on it’s only multiplied as songs begin to display even higher levels of chaos, intricacy and even melody at times. What’s delighting to hear amongst the madness is some old school death metal riffing that show up regularly during this 27 minute release of fury. Also one is able to identify the impact deathcore has on the record, particularly on the song Denial of Autonomy. Though not introducing a ‘breakdown’, it was indeed heading in that territory.

There are moments of pure atmospheric bliss that takes a break from the crazy sound of instruments clashing against each other in a war-like fashion. Atmospheres of Desolation offers one significant example of that somewhere between the middle and end. Noctambulist completely slows the tide here and showers the listener in pure atmospheric bliss. This is perhaps the most furious and yet most beautiful track on the record. It’s a total assault on the senses as it goes from beast to beauty and back hence giving the music a soft and soothing touch that treats your wounds before you're battered again by technically flamboyant drumming, monolithic vocals and wrathful guitar riffs.

Atmospheres of Desolation is an essential piece of work, it should not be taken for granted particularly in a time where underground metal is at its strongest with so many challenging records being released; yes the competition is high. You NEED this record if you're a fan of underground death metal, Noctambulist deserves much support for their efforts in manufacturing something this extraordinary. More has to come from this American outfit; it would be unfair to deliver this work of genius and not try to follow it up with something that pushes its boundaries.

Rating: 8.7 out of 10

Review by Alex on May 12, 2022.

Paralysed in ecstasy, the best phrase to describe the addiction that is Hadean Tides by Assumption. Imagine if Disembowelment formed a death/doom band with Disma, pretty damn sure this is what the final result would sound like. If you've been looking for a near perfect blend of death, doom and atmosphere then you would have found it with Assumption. Hadean Tides is a cracking album, a record that would march over your toes and plaster them to the cold hard concrete without apology. It's dark, heavy and devastating, produced with a smooth sound and will keep you awake all the way through. The sound is adventurous with pinch harmonics, fluctuating tempos and bellowing vocals. The guitars are played with a flare only few have managed to replicate most recently, and when it comes to the overall progression of the record, you won't even know when it's ended. The songs on here will ring in your ears and keep ringing them for years to come.

I was very reluctant to give it a try; my major concern was the album using up 45+ minutes to do nothing. However after the first track, 'Oration', it was crystal clear that the band were no newbies to the craft. They have an album before this but I'll give that a try once I've done spinning Hadean Tides for the millionth time. Assumption has that extra bit that makes them stand out from the rest of the death/doom bands in the underground. Their sound is very mature to say, somewhat gives you the feeling they're a daddy band overlooking the rest of the family. 'Submerged By Hadean Tides' pretty much drowns the listener with guitar leads and undercurrents that support the megaton vocals and the heavy thump of the drum kit. This song hits and makes the statement for the album with a short yet soothing solo that dissolves slowly before the band takes a shift into blistering death metal momentum.

The incorporation is what won me over regarding Hadean Tides, Assumption though using up so many transition patterns never gave off the feeling as though each song was a separate entity from the album, rather making each entry correspond and fit with each other. Thus said, there is one passage that somewhat nearly spoilt the experience for me. It's on 'Triptych', once you hear the track you'll understand why. I don't want to dwell on that as to keep this review positive, but what I will say is the incorporation was unnecessary from my perspective, maybe you would enjoy it but I surely didn't. The latter part of the track however got things back to where they belonged.

I appreciate the funeral doom moments with 'Daughters Of The Lotus' doing a commendable job moving from funeral doom to death/doom also demonstrating more transitioning skills as they shift back into a trance like death metal upbeat. Its smooth sailing from there on as the end with the 14 minute crusher, 'Black Trees Waving' that speaks volumes about the patience and effort Assumption put into creating an album that will live on for decades.

Hadean Tides is an adventurous album that while sounding fresh in the ears of death/doom aficionados, does a great job of sustaining attention and on some occasions, pays homage to the masters of the craft, Disembowelment. Get it through Everlasting Spew and Sentient Ruin Laboratories.

Rating: 9.8 out of 10